I have noticed that some people hate this show becuase of the flashbacks, some people hate the show because of the "bratty" kids, and others hate the show because they say it is overly derivative. But the fact is, there's nothing new under the sun, and in the end, EVERYTHING is derivative of something done before! If you're waiting for a new show to come along that is totally original, you're in for a long wait, because it isn't going to happen. Sure, the Simpsons broke new ground in the late 80s, but even that show is beginning to become derivative of itself . . .
Now on to "Grounded . . ."
I love this show. I'm a college student, and I don't have a ton of time to sit around and watch TV. But "Grounded For Life" is one show I make time to see, along with such prime shows as "24" (maybe the first real ground breaker in a while) and "Futurama". The writing isn't always the best on the planet, but I love all the characters. People say the parents are bad parents, but really they're like everyone else on this planet. They f*** something up, and they do their best to fix it. As for annoying kids, these kids aren't that bad, they're just playing the parts that were written for them. Lilly, the daughter, plays her part perfectly, accenting the trouble kids can get into and the way parents can overreact (though she thinks she knows everything, she isn't always right). The oldest son is obsessive, always worried about hygiene, while the other younger son is just plain goofy. The parents are aptly played by Donal Logue and Megyn Price, and they do a decent job of going through these hilarious episodes. We also have the brother Eddie, who is my favorite character, always in some kind of trouble, but we never do get a full idea of what all he's involved in. And then there's the grandfather, who finds himself always hanging out at the house of his son, essentially involving himself in every story, reminding me somewhat of the way the parents of Ray Romano act on "Everybody Loves Raymond", minus the utter insanity.
There's also a solid cast of regular side characters, including Brad, the ineptly goofy neighbor boy who's obsessed with Lilly, and his father, who hates the Finnertys worse than any people on earth (just watch the episode about the charity boxing match, you'll see EXACTLY what I mean!) These characters give the show a flavor lacking in all but the best shows (i.e. "Malcolm")
The best thing about this show is the flashback motif, because they're not the kind of flashbacks as used by Titus, where they're mostly (annoyingly) for the benefit of a quick laugh. These propel the story, because they ARE the story. Each episode starts after the fact, and each character tries to explain what has happened. Like one other reviewer here said, often the stories overlap, and it isn't until the end, when we find out what really happened.
Give this show a chance! It's a hilarious riot whenever I sit down to watch it, I only wish I had caught this series during its first season! Give this underrated show a chance to show you what good television is!
